Deciding last night that I would take an overnight bus to Pakse and begin heading south, I slept in and really wasn't worried about the time. Heading south, the roads are all completely flat and there are night buses. So I started the day late, getting something to eat and then starting to stall out some time by visiting a few temples that really hadn't interested me prior. Browsing along, I found a few nice places but nothing that's not at 100 others. There really was nothing left to do so I just asked a tuk tuk for the fare to the station and would figure it out from there. Getting quoted an outragous number for the short trip and just not being in the mood, I just started walking in the direction. That eventually led me once again to the arch I can't seem to escape visiting. This time I lucked at out though, as the fountains were on for the first time and really made it so much better! I relaxed here for quite some time, stopping to take photo's for someone every time I saw a father taking photo's of the family and never getting in any. This time it resulted in me getting some photo's done of myself aswell.

      After leaving there and sitting for some ice cream from a random cart on the side of the road, I started to walk further up the road. With the station 7km away, I knew I'd never make it, but I figured with so much time to spare the further I got the cheaper it would get. I got about a block further when I saw a pick-up pull over dropping someone off loaded with passengers, and got a ride on there to the station for about 1/3 the orignal quote. Quite happy with myself I was off and arrived not long after. It was about 3pm, and finding out upon arrival there was a cheaper local bus that left at 3:30 arriving at 5:30am, I went for it. Loaded up on food from the cheao stalls in the station and got my seat. The start of a very interesting and sometimes rough ride begun. They never get old these rides.

        It was clear that this was a real local only bus, especially when someone actually chose to sit on the floor rather than sit next to the farang. On the nicer buses everyone's used to it, here it like little kids laughing and pointing about who's sitting next to you. About five minutes into the ride, we took a stop where about 100 bags of rice and blnakets where thrown in taking about the back few rows of seats. Nothing goes to waste here. No full bus, turn it into a cargo bus.

     Once the ride got going, it didn't take long for some no-english interaction between me and some lao guys in the back. Sharing my food I had brought made a good ice breaker, which was returned when they got me some rice and a beer at a pit stop when I was half asleep. Sleep being a relative term since the TV played non-stop karokee video's for the locals who just sleep when they get home. Rather than annoyed I get amusement out of all these things. Although I wouldn't put myself through it again, it's all part of the journey. Dazing in and out every so often, getting of the bus two times at longer layovers in small towns. The ride was long, tiresome, and at times so uncomfortable, but worth it. Along the way I passed some interesting sites, like the stadium for the 25th SEA games being held in the capital. Plus an war cometary for those that died during the war here, the revolutionary monument.

     Arriving in Pakse, far south having decided to skip a few places along the way I'd been advised were nothing special. It was 5:30am and not a single guesthouse opens the doors before 8am. After alot of walking and trying anyway I ran into a couple in the same spot and we dropped are bags in a guesthouse on the river and waited in the common area for them to open. Eventually in the room, tired and drained. What a day..... Let southern laos begin......